Two staff of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Lawrence Ojo and Bukky Oyetade, were on Monday arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding a customer, Yakub Animashaun, of N5,080,000.
Ojo, 57, is the Head of Operations at the Effurun, Warri, Delta State branch of the bank, while Oyetade, 38, is the Head of Banking Operations at the Ikotun Egbe, Lagos State branch of the bank.
The duo are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, fraud and stealing.
The prosecutor, Corporal Francesca Okere, told the court that the duo allegedly committed the crime at their respective branches of the bank on May 13 and 14.
Okere said that N80,000 was withdrawn from Animashaun’s account domiciled at Kakawa, Lagos State branch of the bank from the Ikotun Egbe branch on March 13.
She said that N5 million was withdrawn from the Effurun branch on March 14.
The prosecutor said that Oyetade told the police that she made the necessary confirmation required by the bank before paying N80,000 to the customer, who claimed to be Animashaun.
Okere said: “Oyetade also said that she did not scan the customer’s particulars to the domiciled branch since it was below the N100,000 stipulated by the bank.
“On his part, Ojo said that he made the necessary confirmation and that the customer’s image matched the one in their system.
“He, however, said he could not make phone contact with the Kakawa branch where the account is domiciled, as required for withdrawals of up to N100,000 but still went ahead to pay the customer before him the N5 million.”
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 409, 363 and 285(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
If convicted, the accused face a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment, according to Section 285(7).
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Magistrate, A. T. Omoleye, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till June 17.
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